North Korea Completed Removing Seals on Nuclear Facilities

North Korea took yet another action, which threatens the peace. In the wake of removing seals on the 5MW nuclear reactor, the container storing spent fuel rods and the radiochemical lab, it also shut down the cameras and broke the seals installed at the factory manufacturing nuclear fuel rods. By the latest act, North Korea has broken all the seals installed to monitor its nuclear activities under the 1994 arms control accord in Geneva.

Accordingly, the inspection system of the IAEA in North Korea has been nullified. In addition, with the seals on the factory broken, North Korea could reactivate its 5MW reactor in 1-2 months if it takes further actions.

A South Korea official confirmed, "From December 23, North Korea started removing seals on its radiochemical laboratory and fuel-rod manufacturing factory in Yongbyon. It seems to have completed the process yesterday. The factory has stored fuel rods enough to run the 5MW nuclear reactor."

Another official remarked, "North seems to have completed its first stage. Thus, it removed all the seals and shut down all the cameras that were installed under the Geneva agreement." He further explained, "After removing seals and surveillance cameras on the 5MW reactor, North Korean technicians have entered the facility to do the repair works. It seems that North Korea is making preparations for reactivation of the reactor."

In response, the IAEA reportedly plans to convene an emergency meeting of its directors on January 6th, and to adopt a special resolution demanding North Korea to reinstate the removed seals and cameras and to abide by its promise to freeze its nuclear facilities.

If North fails to act on the resolution, the IAEA will send the issue to the U.N. Security Council.

In the meanwhile, President Kim Dae Jung chaired a cabinet meeting yesterday, and said, "We are ready to help North improve relations with the United States and resuscitate its ailing economy. But we will never aid and abet its nuclear efforts to produce weapons of mass destruction." President Kim added, "This is the absolute pre-condition for cooperation between the two Koreas. I have told them about this orally and in wiring. Nonetheless, the situation has come to this point. The whole world opposes the idea of North Korea`s having atomic bombs. But North would not listen. That is why it is difficult for us to cope with the situation."

Young-Sik Kim spear@donga.com